It is so important, yet remains the subject of heated discussion: sunscreen. In fact, sun protection in general is facing major challenges. The issue of environmental protection is one of them.

Many people have been following the public and scientific reports on the effects of sunscreens and their UV filters on the environment in recent months and years. Many of these reports have been found to be either too general or even incorrect. 

Take a glance at the store shelves and you’ll see that there is a huge number of sunscreen products available. And this is a good thing, because not only is protection from sunlight important for everyone, but it is now also a highly individual matter. 

There is plenty of information available on the topic of sunscreen these days. However, some information is slightly confusing, while some is unfortunately incorrect. Does sunscreen work immediately after application, or do I have to wait 20 to 30 minutes before I can go out in the sun?

The acute reaction of the skin to an excessively high dose of UV radiation, which everyone is likely to be familiar with or has experienced, is dermatitis solaris, better known as common sunburn. However, there are also other reactions of our skin to light and to sunlight specifically, which fall under the genus of light dermatoses. 

Not only does our skin make us look good – the body’s largest organ also performs many tasks that protect us. Sun protection is one of them. Nevertheless, we should not overestimate this natural protection against UV radiation.

Sunlight is vital to survival. Not only for humans and animals, but also for the plant world. Sun protection is also an issue for plants.